Bracelets
by writer writing
Summary: Lois and Clark put on Kryptonian bracelets. What will happen?
1. Chapter 1

Lois was spending the night at the Kents while she was in town and as usual she had Clark's room. Since she couldn't sleep, she thought it would be fun to get a snack and watch Clark's misery on a lumpy couch. When she got downstairs, however, Clark wasn't there. She looked toward the front door and he was standing outside in his coat and shoes.

This was strange for three reasons:1.) It was the middle of the night.2.) It was summer and he was wearing a coat.3.) He looked like he was going to run wherever he was going.

"Hey, Smallville! What are you doing?" she called out.

Clark looked back with an annoyed expression. "Lois, do you have to ruin everything?"

He grumbled something about time and slow trucks and fished the keys out of his pocket. He got in his truck and took off before Lois could find out where he was going.

Luckily for Lois, she carried her keys around. You never knew when you might need them in a place like Smallville. She hopped in her car and followed. She found his truck in front of a cave. She was just in time to see a flash of light and of course she followed.

The next thing she knew they were standing in what looked like the North Pole with a huge igloo.

"What's this? Did we just find Santa's hideout or what?"

"Lois, what are you doing here?"

"That's funny! I was just about to ask you the same question."

Clark had no choice. He explained everything. He told her about his heritage, his powers, and their location. Lois never said a word but stood there taking it all in.

"As interesting as this all is, you do realize we're standing in the snow? All I have is my pajamas and slippers," and with that she began to walk toward the fortress.

Clark gave her his coat and said, "Well?"

"Well what?"

"What do you think of this?"

"It explains your weirdness, so I'm not surprised."

"You're not scared?"

"Are you going to melt my brains?"

"Uh, no."

"Then no."

"You're not even in awe?"

"Why? You're still the same old whiny farm boy. Now if you save the world with those powers in something other than plaid, then we'll talk."

"I should've known it wouldn't phase you. After you."

"Thank you."

They walked into the fortress.

"Wow, look at all this junk!" she said, picking up a crystal.

"Lois, put that down!"

"Why?" she asked as she peered through it.

"It could be dangerous!"

"Aren't you curious about your past?"

"I don't trust anything to do with Krypton," he stated firmly.

"Then why did you come here?"

"I don't know. I guess it helps me to think and I can ask Jor-El questions."

"Jor-El wouldn't give you dangerous things. He's your father. I know that doesn't always mean a whole lot but he would've just saved himself if he was a selfish jerk."

While Clark pondered this information, Lois found two bracelets. They looked like a white gold but it reflected rainbows. It also had a jewel with a color never seen before on earth. Lois being Lois tried it on.

"Doesn't this look good on me?" she asked, holding out her wrist.

"Lois!"

"Don't get jealous, Smallville! There's one for you too," she said, before slipping it on his wrist. "Now we match! Let's go shopping and we can find matching dresses."

"Very funny, ha ha," he replied as he tried to pull it off.

"For someone with super strength, you're not doing a very good job!"

"Let's see you get it off!"

They both pulled and soaked their wrists in the snow but nothing worked.

"We better go or my parents will be worried," Clark said at last

They went back to the Kents and explained things to his parents.

Martha looked worried and asked, "Do you two feel okay?"

Jonathan asked, "Has anything weird happened?"

Both said yes to Martha and no to Jonathan.

Jonathan said, "All I know to do is go to bed and we'll figure out what to do in the morning."

"Mr. Kent, call me crazy, but shouldn't we ask his computer dad what they are and how to get them off?"

"We'll talk about it in the morning," he said in a voice brooking no argument.

After breakfast there was a knock at the door. It was Lana coming to ask Clark to a movie. Clark greeted her with a kiss and they were both blown back. Lois stood in the doorway during all this. Clark's parents were talking about the situation out back.

"Holy cow! I've heard of sparks between couples but this is ridiculous!" Lois commented, trying to defuse the situation.

"Lois, this is no time to joke!" Clark grumbled

Lana asked, "What's going on?"

"We don't really know yet, honey," he said in gentle, sappy tones that he reserved only for Lana.

Lois walked up to Clark and kissed him. "Maybe it's Lana."

Clark just looked at her. He was too speechless from the kiss to respond. Chloe showed up before he could find his words and Lois ordered her to kiss Clark. Although surprised, she did and they were both blown back.

"Then again, maybe it is you, Clark," Lois said without batting an eyelash.

"Would you quit that! It's got something to do with the bracelets," Clark said. "Let's go. Sorry, Chloe, Lana. We'll explain later. Tell my parents we'll be back."

Clark stopped the truck in front of the house of one of his teammates.

"What are you doing now, Smallville?" Lois asked.

"An experiment. See that guy? Go kiss him."

Lois shrugged but obliged.

Lois was blown into the yard and the teammate back into his house. Lois got back into the truck. "Thanks a lot!"

"You're welcome. It has to be the bracelets without a doubt."

They went back to the fortress and Clark asked Jor-El about the bracelets.

"My son, those are to bind two people in marriage. Kryptonian marriages are permanent. They keep adultery and divorces nonexistent."

"But we didn't know what they were. Can't we get an annulment?" Clark asked.

"Yeah, Clark knows all about those," she said dryly, referring to Alicia.

Clark glared at her.

"Hold out your arms," Jor-El instructed. They complied and the bracelets fell off. "If you use those again, make sure it's with your wife and don't play around with anything until you know what it is."

"Yes, sir," he said, shooting a look at Lois that said "did you hear that".

They left the fortress, glad not to be married to the man/woman that irritated them the most.

10 years later…

"I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Clark Kent and Lois Lane were married willingly before God and their families. Before they set off on their honeymoon, they slipped on their Kryptonian bracelets.


	2. Chapter 2

A phone call between Chloe and Martha:

Chloe: Hi! This is Chloe.

Martha: Hey, sweetie!

Chloe: How are things?

Martha: Good, but I don't think you want to hear all about life on the farm. It must be boring to someone married to a billionaire.

Chloe: Not to me, Mrs. Kent. Just because I'm married to Bruce Wayne, doesn't mean I've changed.

Martha: That may be but I know you didn't call me to talk about milking cows.

Chloe: Okay, you got me! It's about Lois and Clark. You're one of the few people I can talk to about this and you're family after all. Have they been acting strange, do you think?

Martha: Have they ever! It's got me worried. They came over last weekend and didn't talk to each other at all. With most couples it's bad when they fight over little things but with Clark and Lois it's when they're quiet. They did talk to each other once though. Clark found out their flight was canceled and he had to tell Lois. He suggested they fly back without a plane, if you know what I mean. Lois got mad and yelled something like "That's a great idea, Clark, that way people can say 'look! It's a bird, it's a plane, no it's Superman with a married woman' and it'll be me they hate." It wasn't teasing either. You could cut the tension with a knife.

Chloe: I know. You know how Clark and Bruce get together to talk about the Justice League? Lois usually comes with him and we have a "spouses of the Justice League meeting" where we talk about journalism and stuff. Lois didn't come last time and she wasn't sick. I called her. What can we do?

Martha: Nothing. They're very private, stubborn people. They'll have to work it out themselves. Besides it's not like it's about adultery and they can't get a divorce.

Chloe: Why not?

Martha: One word. Bracelets.

Chloe: Oh yeah. Well it's been nice talking to you. I need to visit Smallville soon.

Martha: Yes, you do.

Chloe: Bye!

Martha: Bye!

Clark and Lois walked into their apartment. Clark went into the kitchen and began to fix supper. Lois turned on the TV and flipped through the channels. They ate supper and Lois washed dishes, while Clark watched TV. Lois went in the bathroom to get ready for bed. After an hour of Clark waiting his turn, he began to get irritated but he never said a word. Lois walked out slowly demonstrating she had been slow on purpose. In the bedroom Lois watched Clark reading a book in the reflection of the dresser mirror. He put his book down, closed his eyes, and moved his lips. She imagined he was praying for patience, something that probably wouldn't hurt her to do either. Clark rolled over and went to sleep without turning off the light. He knew she couldn't sleep with the light on. He was paying her back for being slow. Yep, if ever she needed the virtue of patience but that word was not in her vocabulary. Come to think of it neither was uncomfortable silences.

"CLLARKK!"

He jumped so high that he almost hit the ceiling, but he floated down with his hands on his hips (not his classic Superman pose but an I'm-angry pose). "What in the world is the matter with you!"

"We need to talk!" she said in a much quiter tone.

"I knew your silence was too good to be true!"

Lois got up, took a suitcase out of the closet, and began packing. "Clark, I think we both knew this moment was coming."

"Yeah, I guess so. I'll be the one to go."

"Forever a gentleman but I started packing first."

"We can't get divorced or have romantic relationships."

"I know but a physical separation is possible."

There was silence in the air again but no tension.

"Lois, I'm not angry, I'm sad."

"There's always sadness at the end of a relationship. Look on the bright side, there's no children to share, only Krypto, and believe me and my allergies when I say he's all yours."

Clark smiled slightly at the remark.

"Wow! I think that's the first time I've made you smile in I don't know how long."

"Yeah, we've both been sulky. If you could, Lois, would you remarry?"

"No. After you're married to Superman, any other man is just, well, not super."

"Yeah, I wouldn't either. Any woman after you is just plain boring."

"Will wonders ever cease? I think we just gave each other compliments."

"Lois, what went wrong?"

"I don't know, Clark. I guess a lot of things."

"But what specifically?"

"Well, for one, I guess I started to feel dependent. Marriage should make you stronger. Superman makes me feel weak. I can't seem to save myself anymore."

"You're not married to Superman, you're married to Clark Kent."

"We can't ignore your alter ego or your powers."

"I guess Kryptonians and Earth people can't mix after all. It's my fault too. I've been Superman lately, more than Clark. It's ironic, isn't it, that Superman brought us together and now he's breaking us up?"

"Well, goodbye, Clark."

"Goodbye."

A week went by and their professional relationship was a lot better. Perry and the public saw their shared articles improve 110 percent and yet the articles always had a sad note. Superman had made a lot less public appearances and Lois had gotten herself out of some fatal situations (not that Clark/Superman wasn't watching to be sure).

Clark and Lois were at the fortress as she gathered up her things from over there. Clark fumbled with his glasses and for the first time in a long time, Lois found it cute, but she quickly shoved the feeling away. Lois forcefully marched around gathering up her rightful property and Clark found her forcefulness attractive, but he ignored it.

Suddenly, Jor-El was activated and he asked, "Are you separating?"

"Yes, Jor-El," Clark answered.

"Would you like me to remove the bracelets?"

"I thought you said it wasn't possible?" Clark said, not quite beleiving what he was hearing.

"It shouldn't be possible, but the bracelets aren't magical. It's technology and technology can always be overridden. Earth marriages are supposed to be permanent too "for as long as you both shall live" but living people separate all the time. However, if you want to join in Earth's rising divorce rate, make that choice now."

"Lois?" Clark said, looking to Lois for guidance.

"I guess it's all for the best," she said, not sounding like she really believed it.

"Remove the bracelets, Jor-El."

And with that, they fell off.

"This feels strange. I've had the bracelet on so long, I forgot it was there," Lois commented as she rubbed her the place where it had been.

"I know what you mean. I think I'll miss it."

"I know I'll miss your cooking, Smallville."

"I'll miss your insults."

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you more."

"Clark, if we'll miss each other, what are we doing?"

"I love you, Lois. Will you stay my wife?"

"I will."

They hugged and kissed to seal the deal.

Jor-El said, "Good choice. The bracelets were merely symbols. It's love and God that binds two people together not metal. Besides you now have something that'll ensure you're forever connected. I'm now sensing 3 life forms. Congratulations!"

"Clark, how is that possible? We've been fighting nonstop for almost a year now."

"Did I forget to mention Kryptonian pregnancies last two years?"

"This should be fun," she said, looking toward her belly.

The End (but just the beginning for three people)


End file.
